Appointments:

Memberships:

‘He gains the interest and respect of judges for his efficient and well-directed cross-examination.’ – The Legal 500

Matthew has extensive experience and skill in commercial and chancery work, ranging from partnership, professional negligence and property disputes to indemnity.

Matthew specialises in Property Disputes & Civil Fraud.

Property Disputes

Matthew heads the Property Team at PSQB with a particular interest in property related fraud. Matthew has substantial experience in Property disputes ranging from trust issues to rights of way and tracing. This includes boundary disputes, rights of way, riparian rights, adverse possession, restrictive covenants and trusts as well as commercial landlord and tenant (including the Pub Code Regulations 2016).

Matthew also co-founded the Fraud Team at PSQB and utilises his knowledge and skill in many of his Property cases. Appeal Court work is a particular specialism of his in both fields.

Matthew is recommended in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.

He regularly appears on matters before the AHMLR and related matters in the High Court.

Matthew is a member of PBA and regularly lectures on matters surrounding property disputes.

Matthew also undertakes a lot of interim relief work including breach of trust in an employment context, freezing injunctions and delivery up.

Indemnity

Matthew undertakes insurance indemnity work which includes first party fraud, policy avoidance together with common law and contractual recovery. In addition, 1973, 1975 and 1996 Act claims.

Professional Negligence

Matthew undertakes professional negligence work for claimant and defendants ranging from solicitors to surveyors.

International experience

He developed his practice with a sabbatical in New Zealand, working for one of the top-3 commercial firms, where he played an intricate part in a successful internet case involving contingent contracts, copyright and remoteness of damage.

Matthew is a member of the British-Russian Law Association and has a working knowledge of Russian. He takes an active interest in CIS litigation involving issues of cross-border fraud, litigation and arbitration disputes. He has been invited to Moscow as a keynote speaker and has written seminars and mock trials for the Bar Council as part of the Russian Exchange Programme and the Brazilian Exchange Programme.

Matthew speaks some Russian, Italian, French & German and is currently available for international gaming/licensing work.

Notable cases

Arshad v Direct Line: first party fraud indemnity case.

Pronet v NZ: A NZ$3m internet contract case heard in the High Court of New Zealand, Auckland.

Bateman v Morris & a TIB: a High Court case involving trust issues and a bankrupt.

“Very experienced. His technical knowledge and competence shine through every time.” “An excellent trial advocate, who is very well prepared and experienced in this type of work. He gets the ear of the judge and his advocacy skills really are top rate.” – Chambers and Partners (2019)

“Vastly experienced in fraudulent claims, and a tenacious and robust advocate.” – The Legal 500 (2016)

Matthew has extensive experience and skill in civil fraud work ranging from disease, casualty and EL/PL fraud to property and first-party fraud.

Matthew co-founded the civil fraud team in Chambers and has a national reputation in this field for effective and thorough cross-examination.

Matthew has undertaken a number of high-profile cases as well as multi-handed fraud rings in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Enforcement, including High Court Committal, Charging Orders and Bankruptcy is another area of Matthew’s practice.

In addition, Matthew also advises and lectures on bringing Private Prosecutions from Civil Fraud cases. PSQB is the first and only Chambers in the country to advise on such matters and to then actually draft the proceedings and then represent the Prosecution in the Crown Court.

Notable cases

Mitchell v Whittaker: A leading first instance decision on QOCS and fundamental dishonesty.

Matthew’s PI practice involves the bringing and defending of large loss PI cases. This usually involves the drafting of Schedules and representation at JSMs.

Matthew was recently part of the team that reached settlement in a case that settled for £10m and involved the drafting of complex and thorough PPOs. 17 experts were involved in relation to serious head and spinal injuries to a minor. Another case involved issues of capacity and binding offers.

Matthew is a member of PIBA and lectures and writes articles on large loss PI issues.

He is able to bring his vast experience of exaggerated claims to the table to ensure his clients are fully advised of all the points in their case.